THE ‘TSINGANI’ OF MANDIA & THE ‘GURUBETS’
A DISPERSED ETHNIC GROUP
The Roma people are a dispersed ethnic group who originate from the northern regions of India. Constantly on the move, they began to arrive in Europe at the start of the 6th century and their most concentrated populations are located in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. The term ‘Roma’ also encompasses various other sub-groups with varying traditions and customs, but most associate with a distinct way of life that includes constant travelling and a unique style of music and craftsmanship.
SEPARATED BY FAITH
The Roma people are thought to have been active in Cyprus as early as the 15th century. Those that followed Christian Orthodox teachings were known as ‘Tsingani’ of Mandia, and those of a Muslim faith were known as ‘Gurubets’. The ‘Chronicle of Cyprus’, compiled by Florio Bustron, states that a group of ‘Tsingani’ with Greek sounding names, paid taxes to the royal treasury during the reign of the last Lusignan king James II. Despite these contributions however, they, along with the ‘Gurubets’, frequently faced significant social and economic challenges. Discrimination and stigma were prevalent, leading to marginalisation in various aspects of their lives. Many lived in impoverished conditions, often lacking access to basic education, healthcare, and employment.
TWO UNIQUE COMMUNITIES
The ‘Tsingani’ or ‘Mandithes’ mostly settled in the south of the island, but they also maintained small communities in Nicosia, within the present area of Ayioi Omologites, which was then known as Mandochori, and Kythrea in the north, where they established a church dedicated to St. George of Mandia. They were regarded as the best tinsmiths on the island, and they were especially known for their excellent skills and intricate designs. The word ‘Gurubet’ derives from the Turkish word ‘Gurbet’, which means ‘foreign’ and this is further compounded by their specific dialect, which only exists in Cyprus. This dialect is known as ‘Gurubetsia’ and is formed mainly from Turkish, but borrows several words from Arabic, Persian, Kurdish and Armenian.
RE-ESTABLISHING COMMUNITIES
The Venetian era that followed generally brought acceptance of the ‘Tsingani’, but the ‘Gurubets’ were severely persecuted. The Venetians viewed the ‘Gurubets’ with a great deal of suspicion, often accusing them of spying or aligning themselves with the Ottomans. Their persecution drastically reduced their numbers on the island, but their fortunes changed after Ottoman occupation forces, which included contingents of ‘Gurubets’, took control of Cyprus in 1571.
AN UNRIVALLED CRAFTMANSHIP
According to several references from the 16th and 17th centuries, both Roma communities on the island often collaborated with each other mainly through trade and the arts. The ‘Tsingani’ mainly engaged in the trading of horses and they were also excellent blacksmiths, metal, wood and textile workers. Their craftsmanship was unrivalled and they often produced intricate handmade goods that they sold all over the island. Their art reflected a blend of traditional Roma motifs and local designs, creating a unique cultural fusion that enriched Cypriot artistic expression. The ‘Gurubets’ on the other hand were mainly involved in farming, but they also had a small community that travelled throughout the island as news, story and fortune-tellers.
MUSIC & DANCE
Both communities made significant cultural contributions to the island’s heritage and their influence was particularly evident in their music and dance. Traditional Roma music, characterised by its vibrant melodies and rhythms, incorporating elements from the various cultures they had interacted with over the years and musicians from both communities often performed during local festivities, blending their unique sound with Cypriot folk traditions.
GREEK OR TURKISH?
When Cyprus became a British colony, British administrators considered all ethnic minorities on the island, including both the ‘Tsingani’ and the ‘Gurubets’ as Cypriot. The ‘Tsingani’ were considered Greek Cypriot and the ‘Gurubets’ were considered Turkish Cypriot. Writings by David George Hogath state that he visited the village of Faleia, located at the spur of a mountain beneath Ayios Photios, in the Paphos District in 1888. He stated that although the village was considered a Turkish Cypriot village, its inhabitants were certainly not of Turkish origin.
THE GURUBET VILLAGE OF FALEIA
Faleia was at this time inhabited exclusively by ‘Gurubets’ and David George Hogath stated that no other village on the island displayed the same peculiar type of people. He noted that these villagers were different in both character and costume and he went on to say that this village displayed an equal pitch of freedom between men and women, who although of Muslim faith, dispersed their veils to accost and speak openly to strangers in the company of men. The women also wore a profusion of gold ornaments and the faces of all villagers were of extreme swarthiness. Each had raven black hair and fine noses and lips, and they had brilliant dark eyes and small ears by comparison.
SEPERATED & LONG DEPARTED
Today, the village of Faleia lies abandoned with its inhabitants long departed. The majority left the village after the war and subsequent division of the island in 1974. Nearly all of the ‘Gurubets’ in the south moved to the north and the ‘Tsingani’ in the north resettled in the south, confirming their respective affiliations to both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. There are approximately 3000 people of Roma descent living in the Republic of Cyprus and most have created semi-permanent communities in most areas of the island.
